2017 Mazda CX-5 Akera diesel she says, he says review

Our team puts the top-of-the-range new CX-5 to the test.

2017 Mazda CX-5 Akera diesel she says, he says review

01 May 2017Daniela Intili and Stephen Ottley

He: This is the new Mazda CX-5 - but you have to be a bit of an expert to notice. It may be the "next generation" model but it is a relatively subtle change. The body is all-new but carries over the same basic silhouette and the powertrains are largely unchanged. None of that is completely surprising because the CX-5 is the best-selling SUV in Australia at the moment. So, Dani, what was your first impression?

She: It's not easy to stay number one in the ultra competitive SUV market. So you have to admire the Mazda CX-5 for comfortably achieving that in Australia for as long as it has. With that in mind, the expectation on this next gen CX-5 is higher. You're right, the changes to the exterior are subtle but the body is more refined. What really impressed me was the cabin. The perforated white leather trim in the top-spec Akera we're testing looks really sophisticated. The surfaces have nice clean finishes and the wood effect on the dash completes the high-end look. Mazda claims this is a quieter car than its predecessor. How did you find the 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine in our test car?

He: I was actually a little disappointed with the engine. Sure, the performance is good thanks to 420Nm of torque on tap. But it is still quite noisy in the cabin, which has long been a problem for Mazda and seemed to have been solved with the all-new CX-9. And it's not just engine noise too, you hear a lot of road and wind noise as you drive along. That was my biggest criticism. Like you I like the sharper, more refined looks, particularly in the cabin. What did you think of the drive?

She: I found it very enjoyable. It's responsive and has decent grunt. The steering is light, but not too light. It grips well, takes corners easily and retains power going up hills. I find some cars take adjusting to but the CX-5 feels easy from the onset. The six-speed auto transmission is seamless and the head-up display is comprehensive. One thing I like about the CX-5 is the standard safety gear available across all variants. But it does go up a few notches in the Akera?

He: Yeah, the Akera is the top of the range and comes suitably loaded with gear. You get 19-inch alloys, leather trim, a sunroof, adaptive headlights, head-up display and a 10-speaker Bose sound system. And, yes, as you say there is plenty of safety gear - adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, adaptive LED headlights and autonomous emergency braking. But it doesn't come cheap at $49,990 plus on-road costs.

She: You get a lot of car for your money and the safety technology is so impressive. But $50K is still a lot of money to part with for most families, so it's worthwhile checking out the mid-spec options too. As much I like the white leather, realistically it might be hard to keep clean, especially with little rug rats in the back. But honestly, it's hard to dislike this car. Has it done enough to impress you Steve?

He: Personally I was never fully won over by the previous CX-5. As a family man I felt the back seats were too small and lacked basic comforts, like air-conditioning vents, plus it was noisy and a bit too firm riding for family hauling duties. But this new model addresses most of those criticisms. The cabin is better presented and equipped and the ride feels more composed. It is just a shame they couldn't make it even quieter,. In any case, it is certainly easy to understand why it is such a big seller.

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She: The CX-5 is a solid, reliable family car, which continues to punch above its weight. It could face some stiff competition, up against the likes of the Volkswagen Tiguan, which was crowned 2016 Drive's Car of the Year and best Small SUV. However I still think it's going to be tough to knock the CX-5 off its perch in the sales race.

Drive Comments

jeta | 2017-05-02 22:58:37

They offering diesel in the lower spec cars yet , usually shoot themselves in the foot when it comes to diesel vehicles, always out price
themselves compared to other manufactures .

pwp | 2017-05-03 03:42:32

Are you really journalists? Whose side are you on? Why keep publishing obviously fake fuel use figures? 6L/100km's is a pipedream and you know it. I have a CX5 Diesel and 9L/100km city and 7.5L/100 km country is real-world. It's a great car, but I was fooled by the fuel use figures pre-purchase. The claim is clearly optimistic, but the difference between claimed and reality is incredulously spectacular.

TheHawk | 2017-05-03 04:00:21

Still reckon the Hyundai Tucson Highlander is the better car, much quieter and smoother to drive.

VW Apologist | 2017-05-03 11:47:02

PWP - you have pointed out one of the disadvantages of SUV ownership. The CX5 weighs 1,744 kgs which is pretty portly. I note that it has a 503 litre boot and has a total area of 1,620 litres with the seats down. Compare say a VW Passat diesel wagon. It has 650 litres and 1,780 with seats down and a kerb weight of 1,562. It is quicker to 0-100 by over 1 second and is much better on fuel consumption. I can easily get high 4s/100 on the highway and mid to high 6s/100 around town. I know this from our experience. But then it doesn't have the all important high driving position which everyone seems to want even though this ruins the handling. Go figure.

Fini VW Apologist | 2017-05-03 13:16:25

Andy Del | 2017-05-03 19:41:47

That really is the WORST 'conversation' I have ever read, outside of a staged debate on evolution at Sunday school! And about on the same intellectual level as well. Be clear, it's expensive, noisy, with easy to dirty up seats and lots of goodies. Does it get a full spare? Does it drive better than the lat iteration? Do you know? Do you care? Did you compare it to a Highlander or Sportage? (Hint: Sportage has as much grunt, is heaps quieter and is more comfortable.)